at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Overview of IFUSS
The study of U.S. culture takes place among scholars in many parts of the globe, but most scholars of U.S. culture living and working in the U.S. are unfamiliar with this work by their foreign colleagues. The Forum works to internationalize the practice of "American Studies" in the U.S. by placing foreign and domestic scholars in dialogue. Simultaneously, it fosters scholarly relations across multiple national boundaries and regions outside the U.S. by bringing scholars from all parts of the globe together for shared research residencies and conferences. It is our belief that these multiple angles of vision, forged in the academic traditions and national contexts of each participant's scholarly community, will yield a more complex understanding of the many facets of U.S. culture than is otherwise possible.
RESEARCH RESIDENCIES The appointment of Fellows for Research Residencies lies at the heart of the Forum's activities. Through a combination of open global competitions and direct invitations, the Forum hosts exceptional scholars from outside the U.S. for residencies lasting from two weeks to three months. While in residence, Fellows pursue their own research with access to excellent library facilities. They also lead colloquia, participate in faculty seminars and sometimes offer a course in their specialty area. With applicants from more than 60 countries, the range of scholarship represented is truly diverse in terms of topic and methodology. Fellows from Nigeria, Italy, Australia, Japan, China, Russia, Israel, India, Great Britain, South Africa, Argentina, Spain, Sri Lanka, and Hungary are among those who have participated so far. Their research has focused on topics as diverse as Jewish writers of the 1930s, Gay life in New York City, the urban geography of Chicago, American female missionaries in Japan, the "English-Only" movement in the U.S., and many other issues in U.S. history, literature, political science, social anthropology, media studies, and visual culture. Fellows are expected to remain in residence for the duration of their fellowship and to devote their energies full-time to the projects they are involved in. INSTITUTIONAL LINKAGES The Forum is developing ongoing linkages with institutions outside the United States, such as the Indo-American Centre for International Studies where work on U.S. culture and politics is flourishing. The Forum strives to facilitate ongoing relationships among past and present Fellows from different parts of the world so that transnational and transregional dialogues can continue after the residency periods, based on a network of IFUSS alumni and Advisory Board members. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES With support from non-profit foundations and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Forum hosts international conferences that bring past and present Fellows together with U.S.-based scholars for intensive debate and dialogue focusing on the global dimensions, conditions, and practices of U.S. Studies. LOCATION Founded in 1867, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has earned a reputation as a world-class leader in research, teaching, and public engagement. Situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, the campus straddles the border between the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. With a combined population of 105,000, Champaign-Urbana is large enough to support cultural and entertainment opportunities usually associated with major metropolitan areas, yet small enough to maintain its identity as a friendly, Midwestern community. Academic resources on campus are among the finest in the world. The University Library is the largest public university collection in the world, housing 22 million items in the main library and in the more than 40 departmental libraries and units. UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH Through lectures and programs open to the public, and courses for university students, the Forum offers numerous opportunities for members of the university and local communities to come in contact with visiting scholars. In addition, Fellows often speak at roundtables in the community and participate in radio interviews. Graduate students participate in the Forum both as Program Assistants and as participants in international research trips. FUTURE PROJECTS New initiatives include the future development of transnational collaborative research projects; off-site multi-national research travel in teams composed of scholars from the U.S. and abroad; and a new focus on Latin American scholarship on the United States. CONTACT IFUSS: The International Forum for U.S. Studies |
